


Forray Forever

by harpybones



Series: Everlast [1]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Everlast AU, Female Ravage, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, MSbP, Mental Health Issues, Munchausen, Ravage is not a Symbiote, Soundwave is related to his Symbiotes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:34:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23372497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harpybones/pseuds/harpybones
Summary: He was a bit larger than other sparklings his age, and a little taller than usual, but the doctors told his Carrier it was normal. Not every sparkling is the same, they said.But his Carrier didn’t believe them. She insisted something was wrong with him. She continued to bring him back to the hospital; she begged the doctors to ‘fix’ him- but they sent her away every time she showed. Constantly they told her there was nothing wrong with him, yet she did not- she could not- believe that.(Everlast AU)("&" marks Non-Romantic relationships)[Will be continued as soon as I can]
Relationships: Ravage & Soundwave
Series: Everlast [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1656406
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33





	1. Forray Forever

**Author's Note:**

> Since this has little to nothing to do with any continuity, feel free to read the "notes" section on the "series" page. It covers a lot of what will be mentioned or at least alluded to in these stories.

_"Taught them with solace_   
_They know a soft caress_   
_To lower your defense_

_Hide all that you could_   
_Done for the greater good_   
_It’s later understood_

_Forray forever"_

_\- "Child I Will Hurt You"_ by Crystal Castles

He was a bit larger than other sparklings his age, and a little taller than usual, but the doctors told his Carrier it was normal. Not every sparkling is the same, they said. But his Carrier didn’t believe them. She insisted something was wrong with him. She continued to bring him back to the hospital; she begged the doctors to ‘fix’ him- but they sent her away every time she showed. Constantly they told her there was nothing wrong with him, yet she did not- she could not- believe that.

He was big. He was tall. He was clumsy. He couldn’t talk properly, not at the age he should have. He would not interact with other bitlets at school or in public; he was awkward. He was stupid.

He knew this. He wasn’t good with words, that made him dumb. He knew this because his Carrier told him all the time- and his Carrier was smart. What she spoke was law- that meant it was true. His Carrier hated being told she was wrong. Returning home from the hospital was a horror because of that.

His Carrier yelled a lot. Hearing herself yell only made her more upset. The more her anger grew, the more physical she became. Plates, pots, glasses, his tiny self- Nothing escaped her violent hands.

Through her brutal rage, she reminded him of his one truth.

There was something, many things, wrong with him. 

_“They_ **_won’t_ ** _fix you!”_

_“They_ **_have_ ** _to fix you!”_

_“My beautiful little Soundwave…”_

_“They must fix you…”_

…

Although his vocal communication was limited and weak, his memory was very strong. Soundwave could retain the names and faces of mecha he’s only met once, and note places he’s only heard of. Most of the time, his Carrier would ignore this skill. Sometimes, she’d forget he had any skills at all. Yes, his Carrier was smart, but her memory appeared to be weak.

One of his strongest memories happened to be one he would do absolutely anything to forget about.

_“Miss Ripsong, an inquiry, if you will?”_

From the medical berth, Soundwave could still detect his Carrier’s field. It was wide, open, _emotional_. She shifted it slightly once the doctor addressed her, pushing it farther out. 

_“What happened to Soundwave?”_ the doctor asked, hovering a stylus over the datapad he held only a few inches from his chest plate. To Soundwave, the angle and stiffness suggested concern.

_“Another group of younglings,”_ claimed Ripsong, _“they had attacked him during downtime at school. My dear Soundwave has problems, you see. His processor does not function properly. His mind is very… strange. He has difficulties. The- The other bitlets use this against him…”_

Soundwave did not recall this. Indeed it was true that school was harsh, and the other younglings were awful to him, they were not the reason for his injuries. Somehow, the doctor could tell as well. He glanced over to Soundwave as he laid in the medical berth, and focused on his tiny beaten body for a few moments. He gave Soundwave an expression of what seemed to be sympathy before turning back to his Carrier and restated his question with ire. Ripsong insisted that it was the truth, her field fluctuating with livid emotion and sorrow; there wasn’t a hint of guilt anywhere within.

His Carrier’s poor memory was hurting her again. Soundwave wondered how he could tell the doctor that she needed help. 

The doctor turned away from Ripsong and stepped into the other room, and pressed his index finger to his helm, whispering. His Carrier stepped to the side of the medical berth and ran her hand over his forehelm, and Soundwave relaxed into her gentle touch. Minutes passed; she stayed there, silently staring down at Soundwave with an expression that, to Soundwave, seemed placid.

Soon the doctor returned, followed by a group of black and white mecha that gently escorted his now frantic Carrier from his hospital room. The doctor stepped to Soundwave’s side and with a soft pat at his helm, assured the youngling that the officers were only taking Ripsong to a place where she would receive help. Soundwave opened his mouth to respond, but was only met with noise; the aching vibration of harsh static. Soundwave grimaced, and tried to speak again, but was met with the same horrifying sound. He focused on the doctor, who returned a small frown to the youngling. As clearly as possible, the doctor explained that his injuries were severe enough to cause irreparable damage to his already struggling processor. The impediments Soundwave already had would be worse, enough to bring him considerable obstacles in the future- but the doctor wouldn’t quite elaborate on what that meant. Instead, he stepped over to the hospital room’s dresser. He opened the lower drawer and pulled out a bright blue berth cover. Unfolding it, the doctor draped the cover over Soundwave, and dismissed himself after wishing the youngling a good rest.

...

Soundwave had never spent the night away from his home; until now, that is. Ripsong never allowed him to stay with anyone else overnight, not even with a member of her own family unit. She claimed she did not trust them, and that the only person he would be safe with was her. Soundwave thought it was odd, that Ripsong did not trust her own family. Often Soundwave found himself wondering what did they do to make her feel that way, if anything at all. Sometimes, Soundwave wondered if it wasn’t them, but himself instead; himself, and all of his wrongs.

The very thought made him restless- twisting, turning, tossing himself back and forth on the hospital berth, yet nothing ever felt comfortable. Vorns into the night, sleep never took him, so instead the youngling stared into the room’s darkness; nothing in particular. Soundwave turned onto his side and pulled the berth cover over his shoulders. Abruptly then, he felt warmth. It was comfort, really; the soothing presence of maternal succor. It lulled him, silently, pacifying his nerves into a slumber, and quietly she murmured,

_You seem uneasy, little one._

Without a jump or jerk, Soundwave shuttered his optics and sighed a silent response, 

_I am just a little anxious._

This was not his Carrier. Soundwave knew what her field felt like, and this was not it. He could distinguish Ripsong’s constantly-apprehensive waves from any other mecha in Uraya. This was not Ripsong.

This femme’s field was placid and tranquil. It draped over Soundwave, covering him with a kind of peace that he has never felt before. Somewhere, he knew he should protest. He should question her invasion of his field, call in a security officer to find her, and yet…

He didn’t want her to leave.

_A sparkling should never act as if this feeling is new._

Soundwave didn’t yet understand the importance of that statement. At the time, it only brought up questions. Who was this femme? Where was she? What was this bond she was using to communicate with?

_Your carrier was more than unfit for you._

He wasn’t sure what a “fit” Carrier was like.

_You will never suffer under my care, small one._

Did Soundwave suffer? Surely Ripsong wasn’t that bad. Soundwave experienced joy around her at times, occasionally at least. What was suffering under a Carrier like? What would be any different?

_I need you just as much as you need me._

Soundwave lifted his body from the berth and propped himself up on his elbows.

_Please, open the window._

Above the hospital berth was a large rectangular window with a bottom shelf, and an outside sill. Soundwave moved up to the shelf, taking the glass vase of alloyians and relocated them over to the dresser. He returned to the window and reached for the bottom, and pressed his fingertips against the window’s trim. He paused, then hesitantly, Soundwave slid the window open. 

The youngling slid back slightly, making room for the femme he waited for. A nightly breeze caught the window’s shimmering drapes, and ever so gracefully, they waved. The breeze returned, feeling icy against Soundwave’s frail frame. He shivered, and decidedly pulled the berth cover up over his shoulders. Thumping upon the roof quickly drew Soundwave’s attention. He knew it was her, _it had to be._ The bumps came frequently- one after another -so Soundwave assumed she was moving quickly. With every beat, the field was growing heavier.

A large dark figure, on all fours, jumped down onto the window sill, and turned to face the youngling. The face appeared feline, like that of a cybercat, except it was far too big to be one. The mechanimal crawled through the window and onto the medical berth where it sat on its hind legs. Its optics were fixed on Soundwave; they appeared almost sympathetic.

_I doubt this was what you were expecting, was it?_

Soundwave’s optic ridges rose, and almost involuntarily he responded,

_Not at all._

Somehow, he felt her laughter.

The mechanimal feline moved closer, wrapping her long tail around the youngling in an attempted embrace, and cuddled close next to him. She pressed her nose onto the side of his helm. Soundwave felt small with her against him, but he didn’t really mind that. Her larger frame made him feel… protected. Soundwave wrapped his arms around her neck, and pulled her into a hug. Her mellow field enveloped him, swarming with happiness, comfort, and affinity. After a moment, Soundwave hummed, 

_How am I able to speak with you like this?_

She rumbled, but not in anger, and rubbed her temple against him.

_As a youngling, I do not expect you to quite understand yet. But, you are intelligent Soundwave, given your age. I will explain to the best of my ability._

She took the youngling’s silence as cue to continue.

_This is not a spark bond, like those between lovers, or a split bond between creators and their sparkling. You and I share a common factor. Our processors surpass that of normal Cybertronains. We can comprehend the surges of energy that others normally can’t understand. Our minds… could even be powerful enough to see into another’s spark- if you so wished. That is a feat that was never transcended by anyone before us._

Soundwave’s expression seemed far into thought. He knew only of his memory, and how much information he was able to retain- whether it was images, sounds, voices, words... Soundwave never thought it had anything to do with...

_You speak to me through the energy of my spark? I am able to do this as well?_

_In simplest terms, yes. If I, as a simple mechanimal, am aware of my own existence, then I can only imagine what you will be able to do with your gift. My guidance can only teach you so much, since I know your abilities exceed mine. I am rather excited to see what we could discover about you, given the physical frame Primus bestowed you with as well._

Soundwave glanced down to her, his face laced with confusion. She raised an optic ridge in response.

_What’s wrong?_

_I do not understand. What other gift do I have?_

Swiftly she moved her muzzle to the center of his chest and pressed her nose against it.

_You are one of only 16 Symbiote Carriers that have ever lived, Soundwave. This is an incredible thing that… I know you don’t understand yet, but eventually, you will. This is something that your former Carrier disregarded because she did not understand. You are special, and need to be cared for differently than other developing sparklings. Yet she denied the care you needed because she was a fool. She_ **_failed_ ** _you, Soundwave. Just know that I will not._

Soundwave nodded, and she returned to his side. The tone she had was one he understood, one that meant _do not ask anything else about this for now._ After a moment, she stood and hopped up to the window sill, and faced Soundwave. 

_I cannot stay here with you. You will accompany me to my home- that is, if you wish. If you want to be with your like-kind, I won’t protest. But I would want differently._

Soundwave scooted closer to the window, staring up to her with wide eyes. He did not respond, but the spirited energy bubbling off his field was all she needed.

_I call myself Ravage, if I had not said._

The youngling crawled up to the sill beside her, with the hospital berth cover in tow. Swiftly she moved in front of him, guarding him against the possibility of falling. At that moment, a sudden realization washed over her. 

How was she supposed to move him without…

Ravage considered herself resourceful, and a decent problem solver. This would be no different than any other situation she’s been in. With her eyes fixed on the blue cover, Ravage pondered for a moment. Gradually, she split the end of her tail into small little appendages and grasped the blanket. Ravage tied the berth cover around Soundwave’s body with quick precision, making a sort of sack to hold him in. With her strong jaws, she clenched onto the edge of the cover and hoisted the youngling up. She hopped onto the hospital roof, and ran towards the darkened edges of Uraya’s city limits.

_Should... I call you Carrier now?_

The question was rather sudden. Ravage thought about it for a moment.

_I will do my best to clean up your donor’s mistakes, and care for you the way she should have._

_Is that a yes?_

_Of course._

Ravage wondered if she was in over her head. She’s never had to care for sparklings before, she’s never had her own. Soundwave was certainly better off with his own kind, but... who knows what would have happened to him if some _certain_ two-legged freaks discovered he was a Symbiote Carrier? She did not travel this far to find a Like-mind Host just to turn her nose because he was barely past sparklinghood, and leave him for the cyberwolves once he matured. There was one truth that stood out amongst all the worries and risks:

She was all he had.

When Ravage stared down at his content face, she was only reassured of this fact.


	2. Art

**Author's Note:**

> I intended on my ideas for Symbiote Carriers to be elaborated on in future stories within this AU.
> 
> Feedback is appreciated.


End file.
